


Reset myself and get back on track

by CocoKat



Category: Winx Club
Genre: AU Kinda?, Gen, Riven does not know how emotions work because he won't allow them to happen, anyway I attempt to make riven less of a piece of shit, love this red angsty boy, okay but actually Musa deserved better in canon imo, why do i pull allnighters and write mushy relationship stuff what's up with that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-18 02:21:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28859493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CocoKat/pseuds/CocoKat
Summary: It's almost winter break and Rivens' being a socially awkward sad sack. Flora gives him a wake up call.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 36





	Reset myself and get back on track

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place during S2 around late autumn and idk Winx gals are having a party with the boys and predictably Riven is unable to handle social events of any kind. Couple things:
> 
> \- this is a standalone oneshot type deal  
> \- kind of took some creative liberties with the characters  
> \- basing most of the sparse amount of references/characterizations off 4kids don't @ me  
> \- gave Riven some extra background cause you can't be an angsty boy for no reason  
> \- here I am trying to make Riven X Musa work somewhat god help me

Riven let out a breath and he watched the steam escape his lips and dissipate into the autumn air. Winter break was coming soon, not that it mattered. At least to him. Riven would most likely just spend it at Red Fountain like he always did. Neither of his parents called or at the very least shot him a text. Riven was uncertain what the situation with them was, other than his dad still paid for his tuition. Riven spoke to him relatively recently — about four months ago or something. His mom was AWOL, as usual. He didn’t ask his dad where she was or what she was doing. 

The music thudded dully behind the balcony doors and Riven could hear everyone talking and laughing. Stella’s trademark loud, annoying laugh rose distinctly above the rest and for some reason the sound gave Riven a weird hollow feeling in his chest. A feeling he had yet to understand or just squash deep down. 

He let out another sigh, tracking his breath. Why did he even come? Something always managed to bum him out whenever he hung out with everyone. He was mostly fine with the boys, but then add the girls to the mix and all of a sudden Riven just felt a confusing combination of uncomfortable and overwhelmed. And then of course he’d just get angry. Though it wasn’t all on them, he was feeling this way even with classmates sometimes.

It was dumb. Parties were dumb. It was like everyone was in on something he wasn't and that sucked. His friends acted different when they were around the Alfea girls. _He_ acted different. Or at least felt different. Especially with Musa. Riven shook his head.

“Don’t go there, dude,” he muttered to himself as if scolding his own brain. He didn’t want to think about his feelings about Musa. That was a whole other league of confusing. Did the music get kind of louder?

“Hey,” a soft voice sounded behind Riven and he nearly jumped out of his skin. He whipped around to see Flora closing the door to the balcony behind her, but froze in surprise.

“Jeez, you scared the crap out of me,” Riven sighed. He scowled at Flora and turned back to lean over the balcony again. 

“Sorry,” Flora said, shutting the door all the way. She cautiously came up to Riven with her hands behind her back and earnestly leaned over to look at him. “Just wanted to come out here and check on you.”

“Alright, well, you checked. Thanks,” Riven said dismissively. He saw Flora looking at him in his peripherals and slightly turned his head away from her self-consciously. 

“Sorry if this is too assuming, but you don’t seem to be having a good time,” Flora said. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah, fine. Parties just aren’t my thing,” Riven muttered. Flora took a step forward and leaned over the balcony herself. A stiff breeze pulled a lock of hair out of place and she tucked it behind her ear, then wrapped her cardigan around herself. 

“Then why’d you come?” she asked.

Riven grit his teeth, but he didn’t turn to face her. “It’s cold out here, y’know. You can go back inside.” Flora flicked her gaze to Riven’s tank top. His well toned arms showed a significant lack of goosebumps despite the nipping cold. Flora stayed quiet and just looked over the Alfea courtyard as she waited for Riven to answer her question. The boy sighed through his nose, briefly enveloping his face in steam. “I don’t know,” he said finally. “Thought it’d be different this time, but like I said they’re not my thing.”

“That’s okay,” Flora said. A weird shiver went through Riven and he turned to the fairy. Flora was still leaning on the railing and gazing out into the night air. A faint smile played on her lips, though Riven hadn’t actually seen her frown before. 

“What do you mean?” Riven said. He wasn’t even really sure what he meant by that. He was just caught off guard. Flora was too. She turned her head and blinked at him. 

“Huh?”

Riven absentmindedly picked at his fingernails. “I mean, I don’t know if it is.”

“Is that why you haven’t gone home? It would be okay if you did,” Flora reiterated.

“That’s lame,” Riven grumbled. “And what would I do if I did go back to Red Fountain? Read a book or something?”

“Maybe,” Flora answered without missing a beat. “Or whatever makes you comfortable. Which could include being out here.” The fairy gestured with her hand into the general space. “I know I definitely have to get outside sometimes. Especially after midterms and finals when I’ve been cooped up inside studying. I feel like I’ll wilt if I don’t get fresh air.” Riven didn’t really know what to say so he just grunted and crossed his arms over the railing. “You said it's cold out here,” Flora continued. “Are you not cold? I could get you a blanket or a coat or something if you want.”

“I’m good,” Riven said tersely. Out of the corner of his eye Riven saw Flora’s eye twitch and her ever-present, serene expression hardened some. His chest twanged with a bit of guilt. Not a frown, but pretty damn close. He didn’t know Flora all that well, but well enough to know she was annoyed at him. What was he supposed to do? Say sorry? What did he even do wrong?

“Not even a ‘no thank you’?” Flora said flatly. Right, manners, shit.

“Uh,” Riven flexed his right hand uncomfortably and he turned his head to Flora. “Sorry.” 

Flora adjusted herself so her entire body was facing the boy, left elbow propped on the balcony. “Alright, then freeze out here, Mr. Grumpypants. Riven Grumpypants.” 

“Are you making fun of me?” Riven growled. 

“Yeah, you know what, I am,” Flora said with a small smile. Riven scoffed. He should have just left, but he didn’t. “You know what I think?” Flora started. Riven didn’t answer. “You came here for one reason and you’re sticking around for that same reason.”

Riven turned and pointed at her. “ _Don’t_ say Musa.” 

“I was going to say because you want to be a part of the party, but you just got overwhelmed.”

“I did not get “overwhelmed”, okay?” Riven said defensively, making air quotes with his fingers. “I just needed some air.” 

“Sure, we all need air sometimes,” Flora said.

“Don’t patronize me,” Riven grumbled, turning away from Flora again. 

Flora sighed. “I’m really trying here.”

“Trying _what_?”

“To be nice to you.”

Riven was taken aback for a moment before he shook his head. “You’re nice to everyone…”

“I try to be,” Flora said. “You make it a little hard though. Which really stinks because your friends are my friends too.” Riven only clenched his jaw — at a loss for words. “Musa also really likes you, despite everything. I trust her, so she must be seeing something I’m not.”

“Musa likes me?” Riven’s voice was barely above a whisper. “Why?”

“Maybe for the same reason you like her.”

Riven straightened at that. “I don’t…” He flexed his hand again. 

“If you don’t then you need to tell her,” Flora said firmly. Her words struck Riven like a mountain troll’s fist in his gut. For some reason the very idea of doing that sounded worse than dying. Flora, of course, could see that clear as day in his hesitation. She relaxed and looked down to the small courtyard gardens illuminated by tiny, bluish lights. Riven also resigned to leaning back against the railing. 

“Whatever,” he said eventually. 

Flora giggled at that. “You can come back inside when you’re ready, Riven. And you don’t have to sing or anything, promise. I think Sky was joking about the karaoke. Now I’m gonna go in -- I’m freezing my buns off out here.” Flora straightened and made for the door.

“Wait!” Riven reached out and grabbed Flora’s arm. The fairy looked back and Riven immediately let go. “Sorry.” Right, kind of rude to grab people. 

“What is it?” Flora’s muted green gaze implored Riven to say something.

Riven chewed his bottom lip. “I came because… I won’t see you guys for a while. So I figured it couldn’t hurt to hang with you again before winter break. And fine, yeah, I really wanted to see Musa too. I’m not saying I like, like-like her or something. That’s a bunch of other crap I don’t wanna deal with right this second, so I just wanted to hang out. None of this extra touchy feely stuff.”

“But?” Flora said gently, pulling her cardigan to her. 

“But then I just, like, I dunno, got sad. Or something, I dunno,” Riven ran a hand through his hair. For the first time Flora saw the boy’s normally broad, stiff shoulders relax. Uncertain Riven was an unfamiliar sight. He seemed to be aware of it as well and he tensed, crossing his arms. Riven looked down and became very interested in the floor. “I just got bummed out for some reason. Nothings’ different. I always spend holidays at school, it’s no big deal. But I just got hit with this weird feeling. Like a bad weird.”

“Sounds like you’re going to miss us,” Flora smiled.

“Uh, well I mean sure. But it was never this bad. And this feels different. Like of course I miss my friends or whatever but then there’s this new extra shit where my chest feels hollow and I just…” he trailed off.

“We all get lonely sometimes, Riven.”

“Not me,” the Red Fountain specialist jabbed a thumb to his chest. 

“You say nothing is different, but it is,” Flora said pointedly. “We all went through a lot when the witches raised the army of decay. You’ve been talking with one of the counselors, right?”

“They said it wasn’t required.”

“Well it should be,” said Flora. “There’s a reason they were assigned to the schools.” Riven only gave a noncommittal grunt. “My point is everything is different,” Flora continued. “Our relationships have changed. It’s okay if your feelings have changed too.”

Riven sighed through his nose. “So… what do I do about Musa?”

“You’re asking me?”

“Who else should I ask? Brandon?”

Flora chuckled. “Maybe. He and Stella are two peas in a pod.”

Riven threw up his hands and crossed his arms again. “Okay, yeah I’m asking you.”

“Well…” Flora hummed thoughtfully. “Musa is a very strong person who isn’t afraid of telling people what she thinks, but… well she’s not exactly the go-getter type when it comes to this kind of stuff.”

“What stuff?”

“Romance,” Flora smiled and gave Riven a wink. His face turned almost as red as his hair and he avoided her eyes. 

“So what does that mean?” Riven asked, still looking into the distance. 

“Musa’s been dropping some real big hints for you,” Flora explained. “She’s waiting for you to make the first move.”

“Okay, well, what if I’m not the “go-getter type” either?” Riven said. “Why does the guy always have to make the first move?” 

“Ooo, then that ones’ tricky,” Flora hummed again. “In my realm there’s usually at least one person that makes the first move to try and form a romantic relationship, regardless of gender. Usually it’s a display of courtship like gifting the object of one’s affection with their favorite flower.”

“Of course,” Riven snorted.

“But in your case, I think it's a matter of being more open.”

“Open _how_?”

“Softer,” Flora shrugged. “You can’t make a vase from hard clay. It has to be soft in order to mold it into something.”

Riven wrinkled his nose. “So I need to mold myself into something I’m not?”

“No,” Flora said sweetly. “It’s not about becoming someone different, but someone better. It’s about making the barrier between you two soften. You and your relationship with Musa is the clay.”

“Sounds mushy.”

“Clay is mushy.”

Riven hesitated. “I… think I got it.”

Flora gave the boy a warm smile. “I was very angry with you last year y’know.” This time Riven met Flora’s eyes. “You hurt Musa, and Bloom. To a lesser extent you hurt all of us, really. And I don’t mean the whole thing with Darcy. We know that wasn’t your fault, but, you were still pretty nasty before. I forgave you a long time ago, but I think there’s still quite a bit to make up for.” Flora searched the boy’s face, but his expression was unreadable. “You’re not a bad person, Riven.” She tilted her head towards the door. “Let’s make beautiful vases together.”

Riven blinked several times and turned away. “Yeah, I’ll see you inside in a bit. And maybe I’ll take you up on that offer on a blanket or something.” He sniffed. “I’m starting to freeze.”

“I’ll see what I can find,” Flora said with a grin. She opened the balcony door. 

“And don’t tell Musa… please,” Riven added without turning around. 

“Of course. This is just between us, sweetie,” Flora said brightly. 

Riven heard the door close and he let out a breath. His stress followed suit with the steam and evaporated. 

**Author's Note:**

> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vz7Ju8dhe2c&ab_channel=Gorillaz-Topic


End file.
